Ian McKellen Talks Hobbit and Magneto

[keithlewis]

THE SKINNY: While speaking at the Winter Television Critics Association about the new AMC remake of the classic British series THE PRISONER (where he plays the mysterious and enigmatic Number 2), we cornered Ian McKellen to also ask him about THE HOBBIT and the long-rumored X-MEN spin-off MAGNETO.

In terms of any update on THE HOBBIT, McKellen says, “I’m having supper with [director] Guillermo del Toro this evening, so you’re asking me twelve hours too early.”

But never fear, McKellen says he will be in the LORD OF THE RINGS prequel.

“I sincerely hope so,” he says with a wry smile. “I have been been promised I’m in it.”

As for MAGNETO, McKellen says, “If the WOLVERINE movie does well, they’ll probably just do another WOLVERINE movie.”

But when asked where a MAGNETO movie would go if it happened, he says “I think if they do a spin-off, it would be about the young [Magneto].”

As for THE PRISONER mini-series (which will consist of six, one-hour episodes set to air November 2009), McKellen says fans may enjoy the new version since it doesn’t leave as many questions unanswered as the original did.

“One of the characteristics of the original is that in the 17 episodes, the questions you were invited to ask as to ‘why, who is in charge and what are their motives,’ were never really answered,” says McKellen. “Viewers are still arguing what the meaning of it was all. This is different. By Episode 6, you will know everything about the village, where it came from, who created and why they did it.”

http://www.ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=7387